Concern

• Gli attivisti sostengono che l'uso di leggi per limitare le libertà di internet faccia parte di una storia ampiamente documentata di repressione del dissenso • Quando l'ente regolatore dei media del Gabon ha sospeso a tempo indeterminato le principali piattaforme di social media a febbraio, citando motivi di sicurezza durante le proteste anti-governative, la notizia divenne l'argomento principale di conversazione – letteralmente. • Nelle settimane successive all'annuncio, l'uso di Virtual Private Networks (VPN) per aggirare le restrizioni è aumentato drasticamente nel paese dell'Africa centrale. Quando la gendarmeria ha iniziato a fermare i giovani uomini ai posti di blocco stradali nella capitale Libreville e in altri centri urbani per confiscare i telefoni cellulari con VPN installate o per detenere i proprietari, gli avvertimenti si sono diffusi passaparola.

La lettera segue un'inchiesta del Guardian sui metodi irregolari con cui l'amministrazione Trump trasportava i detenuti. Inoltre, i migliori biglietti per i Mondiali di calcio vengono venduti a quasi 33.000 dollari

Esclusiva: In una lettera, 40 legislatori chiedono alla FAA di affrontare le accuse di maltrattamenti degli immigrati e la 'urgente necessità di trasparenza'. • Un gruppo di 40 democratici della Camera ha descritto come 'gravi preoccupazioni' il programma segreto di voli di deportazione dell'amministrazione Trump e ha chiesto alla Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) di rispondere alle accuse di maltrattamenti e condizioni disumane sui jet charter dell'ICE. • In una lettera condivisa con il Guardian e indirizzata all'amministratore della FAA Bryan Bedford, i legislatori descrivono l' "urgente necessità di trasparenza" riguardo all'uso esteso da parte dell'ICE di aerei di linea commerciali per trasferire immigrati detenuti e i suoi sforzi "inappropriati e pericolosi" per schermare questi voli dallo scrutinio pubblico. Continua a leggere...

• Accademici di alto livello definiscono "orribile" la proposta della Judge business school di fornire servizi e formazione. • La scuola di business dell'Università di Cambridge sta cercando di offrire "sviluppo della leadership" e "gestione dell'innovazione" al ministero della difesa dell'Arabia Saudita, nonostante le preoccupazioni riguardanti il record del governo saudita in materia di diritti umani e cambiamenti climatici, ha appreso il Guardian. • La leadership di Cambridge ha approvato una proposta della Judge business school dell'università per stipulare un "memorandum d'intesa" con il ministero per servizi e formazione, a seguito di un'introduzione iniziale da parte del Ministero della Difesa del Regno Unito. Continua a leggere...

• I funzionari taiwanesi temono che anche lievi cambiamenti retorici da parte del Presidente Trump riguardo alla politica su Taiwan potrebbero destabilizzare lo status quo dello stretto durato decenni, mentre Trump si prepara per il summit del 14-15 maggio con il Presidente cinese Xi Jinping a Pechino. • Un funzionario della Casa Bianca ha riaffermato che la politica statunitense nei confronti di Taiwan rimane invariata, basandosi sul Taiwan Relations Act, i tre Comunicati Congiunti USA-PRC e le Sei Assicurazioni a Taiwan, senza che siano state annunciate modifiche. • Studiosi cinesi suggeriscono che Pechino presserà Trump affinché sposti la politica dichiarativa — spingendo per un'opposizione esplicita all'indipendenza di Taiwan invece dell'attuale linguaggio di "mancato supporto" — e cercherà pre-negoziazioni statunitensi sulle vendite di armi, entrambi cambiamenti significativi rispetto alla politica consolidata.

• Utz ha disposto il richiamo volontario di alcune varietà di patatine Zapp’s e Dirty a causa di una contaminazione legata al condimento. • Utz ha emesso un richiamo volontario negli Stati Uniti per due marchi di patatine dopo il sospetto che potessero essere contaminate da salmonella, un tipo di batterio che può causare malattie a trasmissione alimentare. • Secondo il richiamo emesso lunedì dalla US Food and Drug Administration, alcune varietà di patatine Zapp’s e Dirty potrebbero presentare una contaminazione legata al condimento utilizzato nei prodotti.

In vista della fusione tra Paramount Skydance e Warner Bros Discovery, Amanpour parla di un 'riallineamento ideologico di CBS' • Una delle voci più riconoscibili e influenti di CNN, la capo anchor internazionale Christiane Amanpour, ha espresso preoccupazione per l'acquisizione di Warner Bros Discovery (società madre di CNN) da parte di Paramount Skydance (società madre di CBS News) e per ciò che questo potrebbe comportare per la rete di informazione via cavo. • Parlando al summit Truth Tellers in onore del defunto pioniere del giornalismo inglese, Sir Harry Evans, Amanpour ha dichiarato: "Chiaramente sono preoccupata, e non sono sicura di quanto mi sia permesso dire riguardo a un'operazione societaria in corso, ma sono ovviamente, come persona e come giornalista con un'esperienza alle spalle, preoccupata, e lo sono in base a ciò che è accaduto alle altre realtà che [il capo executive di Paramount Skydance, David Ellison, ha] già acquisito, come CBS News". • Amanpour ha sottolineato l'andamento della rete da quando è passata sotto il controllo di Skydance la scorsa estate, facendo riferimento ai rapporti su importanti cambiamenti in arrivo per il programma domenicale, 60 Minutes. Continua a leggere...

La FCA si concentra sul marketing, la pubblicità ingannevole, le commissioni di uscita non eque e l'iscrizione di persone senza il loro consenso L'organo di regolazione della City ha avviato un'indagine sulle società di gestione dei reclami a causa del timore che tali aziende stiano fuorviando le vittime di scandali finanziari, come quello dei finanziamenti auto, riguardo ai loro risarcimenti. La Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) ha dichiarato che alcune società stanno adottando "strategie di marketing aggressive, pubblicità ingannevole e commissioni di uscita non eque". Continua a leggere...

• L'Autorità Monetaria di Singapore (MAS) ha incontrato gli amministratori delegati delle principali istituzioni finanziarie per discutere le minacce informatiche legate all'IA, in risposta al rilascio limitato del modello Mythos di Anthropic. • La Cyber Security Agency di Singapore ha inviato una lettera esortando i proprietari delle infrastrutture informative critiche a commissionare revisioni a livello di consiglio direttivo sulla propria posizione di rischio informatico, in risposta alle emergenti preoccupazioni sulla sicurezza dell'IA. • La risposta regolatoria coordinata sottolinea l'approccio proattivo di Singapore nella gestione dei rischi di cybersecurity guidati dall'IA nel settore finanziario e nelle infrastrutture critiche.

• Gli agenti AI stanno emergendo come strumenti per aiutare le imprese sociali a scalare le operazioni in modo efficiente con team più snelli, affrontando i vincoli di risorse nel settore dell'impatto sociale. • Senza confini adeguati, l'implementazione degli agenti AI rischia di erodere la fiducia, compromettere la sicurezza dei dati e diminuire la connessione umana, elementi critici per le imprese sociali. • Questo sviluppo evidenzia la necessità di framework per un'implementazione responsabile dell'AI che bilancino i vantaggi dell'automazione con le considerazioni etiche e la fiducia degli utenti nelle organizzazioni orientate a una missione.

• Hangeng Trade Company has ceased operations at Pakistan's Gwadar port, citing an 'unfit business environment,' operational hurdles, financial losses, and stuck shipments despite government contact. • The closure reflects escalating security challenges in Balochistan, where the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has launched multiple attacks on Chinese nationals and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects since 2021. • The development raises concerns for China's $62 billion CPEC investment in Pakistan and threatens the viability of Gwadar as a strategic hub for Beijing's Arabian Sea access, potentially impacting regional connectivity and investment flows.

US announced withdrawal of 5,000 soldiers last week after German chancellor said US was being ‘humiliated’ by IranDonald Trump has threatened to withdraw more US troops from Germany after stunning European leaders and some senior members of his own party by last week announcing the withdrawal of 5,000 soldiers from Germany.The move left 30,000 US troops still in the country, according to CNN. But Trump threatened on Saturday that more cuts were coming. “We are going to cut way down, and we’re cutting a lot further than 5,000,” he told reporters on Saturday. Continue reading...

• The Supreme Court of India granted bail to Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera in a case involving alleged derogatory remarks against a Union minister. • The court flagged possible political motivations behind the FIR filed against Khera, raising questions about the timing and intent of the legal action. • This ruling highlights ongoing tensions between the ruling BJP and opposition Congress ahead of key elections, potentially influencing public discourse on judicial independence.

Labor under pressure to scrap group voting tickets as Avi Yemini details plan to funnel votes to conservative parties at state election A rightwing provocateur’s plan to register the “Free Palestine party” and use it to funnel votes to conservative parties in Victoria’s state election has renewed concern over the state’s voting system.Avi Yemini, a former Israeli solider and self-styled investigative journalist who creates content for his YouTube channel Rebel News Australia, on Tuesday announced plans to register the party, which he said would “flow our preferences on to parties that want to free Palestine from Hamas” in the November poll. Continue reading...

Motorists are forced to queue up to six hours for fuel or pay more on the black market, while farmers lack fuel to operate machinery and harvest crops.

Philip Barton says there was pressure over pace of vetting from No 10, which he says was ‘uninterested’ in processUK politics live – latest updatesThe former Foreign Office chief has said he was concerned about Peter Mandelson’s links to Jeffery Epstein – and said there was “absolutely” pressure from Downing Street over the pace of vetting.Giving evidence to the foreign affairs select committee, the former Foreign Office permanent secretary Sir Philip Barton said Number 10 seemed “uninterested” in the vetting process around Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador, and said there were no avenues for him to express his concerns. Continue reading...

The singer’s company filed three applications on Friday after Matthew McConaughey launched similar strategyTaylor Swift has filed applications to trademark her voice and image in a move seemingly designed to protect against AI misuse.On 24 April, Swift’s company TAS Rights Management filed three trademark applications, Variety reports. Two of these are sound trademarks which cover Swift saying the phrases “Hey, it’s Taylor Swift” and “Hey, it’s Taylor.” Continue reading...

• China's National Development and Reform Commission prohibited Meta's acquisition of Singapore-based AI startup Manus on April 27, 2026, requiring all parties to withdraw. • Manus, with Chinese roots, was targeted in a security review of foreign investment despite Meta's compliance claims from its California headquarters. • The decision heightens US-China tech tensions, impacting Meta's AI expansion and cross-border M&A in semiconductors and intelligence tools.

• Tesla's stock fell 3.2% on April 26 after the company reported first-quarter global deliveries of 389,000 vehicles, missing consensus expectations of 410,000 units and marking the weakest quarterly performance in two years. • Management attributed the shortfall to supply chain disruptions at the Berlin and Texas Gigafactories, as well as slower-than-anticipated demand in European and Chinese markets, particularly for the Model 3 and Model Y lineup. • The miss reignites concerns about Tesla's ability to sustain its 50% annual growth target and prompted three major brokerages to lower 2026 earnings forecasts by 8–12%, citing heightened competition from legacy automakers' EV offerings.

• The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index declined to 98.3 in April 2026, down 4.2 points from March, marking the steepest monthly drop since July 2025 as Americans express renewed concern about inflation and job security. • Consumers' expectations for future economic conditions weakened notably, with the forward-looking component falling 6.8 points as respondents cited concerns about rising prices for groceries, gasoline, and housing costs. • The decline suggests potential headwinds for Q2 consumer spending and retail sales, pressuring guidance from discretionary retailers and restaurant operators ahead of earnings season.

• Brazil has suspended a $4 billion Chinese investment in Amazon infrastructure projects following international pressure over deforestation and environmental protection commitments. • President Lula cited insufficient environmental safeguards and lack of transparency in project oversight as the primary reasons for the suspension announced Friday. • Environmental groups and US officials praised the decision, though economic analysts warn the suspension could strain Brazil-China relations and impact Latin American development patterns.

Thousands of research papers have been published based on participants’ data, but there are questions over protection of private informationWith the revelation that the confidential health records of half a million British volunteers have been put up for sale on a Chinese website, we take a look at what the UK Biobank project has achieved – and why concerns have been raised. Continue reading...

Budget airline says change will take effect from November and will give passengers more time to clear securityRyanair will close airport check-in desks 20 minutes earlier to avoid passengers missing flights, it has announced, amid concern over border queues in Europe.The budget airline, which carries 200 million passengers annually, will require all passengers dropping bags or checking in at the airport to do so one hour before take-off rather than the current 40-minute deadline. Continue reading...

• Anthropic launched Claude Mythos Preview on April 7, 2026, an advanced AI model designed for defensive cybersecurity that uncovered thousands of major vulnerabilities in every major operating system and web browser. • Through Project Glasswing, access granted to tech giants including Amazon, Microsoft, Nvidia, Apple, and over 40 organizations maintaining critical software infrastructure. • Rising concerns from experts and governments about misuse risks to economies, public safety, and national security; US software stocks tumbled on April 9 amid fears of AI disruption to traditional security firms.

Reviews website features pages praising unlicensed sites’ supposed qualities as if they were legitimate businessesTrustpilot, the reviews website that offers to “find a company you can trust”, is hosting ratings of illegal casinos, raising concerns in Westminster about the potential risks posed to consumers.Unlicensed casino operators linked to financial harm, addiction and even suicide have flooded the UK market in recent years, often targeting people who are trying to limit their gambling by “self-excluding” from licensed operators. Continue reading...

• The Federal Trade Commission opened a formal investigation into Amazon's AI-powered recruiting system on April 19, citing concerns that algorithms may discriminate against female and minority candidates based on historical hiring data. • Amazon disclosed that its internal testing revealed the system had a 3.2% higher rejection rate for female applicants in engineering roles, prompting the company to halt deployment pending remediation. • The FTC investigation adds to growing regulatory scrutiny of AI hiring tools and could result in significant compliance obligations or penalties affecting how major corporations deploy algorithmic hiring across the industry.

• The United Kingdom, United States, Italy, and France have jointly emphasized the urgent need for peace, stability, and long-term prosperity in the Middle East as the Iran crisis threatens global economic and security interests. • The four Western powers are coordinating on a de-escalation strategy focused on protecting civilian lives, safeguarding global energy routes, and reopening key trade corridors including the Strait of Hormuz. • Western officials have highlighted concerns over global energy disruption, inflation risks, and the need for immediate diplomatic resolution amid the escalating regional tensions.

Lisa Nandy says BBC staff have been strongly affected and have expressed frustration that high-paid presenters and executives are unlikely to be affectedThe BBC’s sudden announcement of 2,000 job cuts has had a “very strong effect” on staff, the UK’s culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, has said, as employees express frustration that highly paid presenters and senior staff will not be the prime targets of the cuts.Nandy, who has been having conversations with BBC staff during discussions about the broadcaster’s charter renewal, is understood to be keen that staff are involved in making the cost-cutting plan, which will affect as many as 10% of the broadcaster’s 21,000 employees over the next three years. Continue reading...